With the Boston Red Sox's designated hitter off to a hot start, whispers are mounting again that Ortiz is using performance-enhancing drugs.

Ortiz denied the allegations.

"They test me all the time," he told the Boston Globe in a lengthy interview. "They make you pee and they test your blood, too. This year I would say I've probably been tested five times, peeing. Blood, just once. That was in spring training. They don't warn you. They just show up."

He said hard work is the key to his success, which had seen him hit safely in his first 15 games of the season before he went 0-for-5 Wednesday in the Red Sox's 15-8 loss to the Minnesota Twins.

Ortiz's average fell to .381. He has four homers and 17 RBIs after missing the season's first 15 games due to a heel ailment.

Dating back to last season, Ortiz had a 27-game hitting before his Wednesday oh-fer. Counting his final 12 games of 2012, Ortiz went 41-for-97 (.423) during the 27-game run. He missed 71 of the final 72 games last year and all of spring training because of his heel woes.